The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

MANHATTAN, New York - With his life set to change in a matter of hours on NBA Draft night, Deandre Ayton is very cognizant of his place in Bahamian history.

Ayton, projected to be the top overall pick in tonight’s NBA Draft at the Barclay’s Center, took centre stage at media availability and is expected to become the first Bahamian player taken with the top overall pick in the NBA draft since Mychal Thompson in 1978.

“That’s a huge honour. That’s a big opportunity,” Ayton said, “It would be a big blessing. Just having that chip on your shoulder and carrying it just reminding you of how far you’ve come. It’s just a huge opportunity to show the world that we’re coming. Bahamian people are coming. We’re not just only a country of track and field athletes. We can also play basketball.”

Following his pre-draft workout with the Phoenix Suns, Ayton was confident that he had shown the franchise enough to solidify his position as the top overall pick.

He finished his school years at Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix and went on to attend the University of Arizona for a single season. The opportunity to begin his professional career in the state led many pundits to believe the Suns will take advantage and select Ayton.

During his lone season at Arizona, he averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game while shooting 61.6 percent from the field, and was “Karl Malone Power Forward” of the year and Associated Press First Team All-American.

He was also the First Team All-American from the NABC, USBWA and Sporting News, Pac-12 Conference Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the conference tournament in the same season.

Despite the accolades, Ayton noted that he has made improvements to his game since the NCAA season came to an end.

“Most definitely more of a three-ball,” he said, “The NBA three-ball is way farther than the college three-ball. I’ve really put on some range and put on some muscle. When I’m fatigued in games, I really can get my shot off in a perfect arc.”

Ayton and other top draft prospects joined local youth from Basketball City and Brownsville Basketball League for a Jr. NBA youth basketball clinic, and participated in an NBA Cares packing project to pack gift bags and write notes for Operation: Care and Comfort, an organisation that sends care packages to service members stationed overseas.

Thursday during the Draft, Skills Challenge Finalists and youth from the Brownsville Basketball League will play a special role, congratulating and handing each draftee their team’s cap once they are selected and then walk across the Barclays Center stage.

Draft night is also an opportunity for the draftees to make fashion statements with their wardrobe and Ayton promised he had something special planned for the Bahamian flag.

“Let’s just keep that a secret for now, but we’ll see,” he said, “I’m just letting everyone know its 242 to the world, basketball in the Bahamas is evolving.”